Gear shift



Aug. A1 1, A1925. 1,549,707

) J. BLACKBURN Hrm/mfr J. BLACKBURN GEAR SHIFT Aug. 1-1, 1925. y i 1,549,237

Filed. oct. 29, 1923 X2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Aug. 11,1925.

UNITED STATES JASPER BLACKBURN, QF WEBSTER GROVES, MISSOURI.

GEAR SHIFT.

Application iled October 29, 1923. Serial. No. 671,397.

To all whom it 71mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, JASPER BLAGKBURN, a citizen of the United States, and resident Vof the city of Webster Groves, county of St. Louis, and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gear Shifts, of which the following is a specification, containing a full, clear, and

Vexact description, reference being had to the sitioned as not to interfere with the foot room in the front portion of an automobile. This permits the seating capacity of the automobile to be increased because three persons can occupy the front scat whereas with the ordinary gear shift lever which projects through the floor board, this is practically an impossibility because the knees of the person occupying the center of the seat are in continual danger of coming in contact with the shift lever thus preventing shifts from being readily made, and also quite frequently moving the lever so as to throw the gears out of mesh which might result in a serious accident, especially when going up or down hill.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a fragmental section of a portion of an Vautomobile showing my device in position;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of my device with portions broken away;

Fig. 3 isa side elevation of Fi 2;

, Fig. 4 is a fragmental vertical section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; j

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed view showing the manner of preventing vibration of the operating rod, and

j Fig. 7 is a fragmental view of an instrument board showing the appearance of my device when ,viewed in the inside of the car.

In the construction of my device 8 represents a sliding gear transmission which is of any standard construction. This transmission is provided with the usual shifter bars 9, as this construction is old, it will not be explained in detail. 10 represents the licor board of an automobile, 11 the dash, and 12 the instrument board. My improvement consists of a housing 13 which is provided on its sides with T-slots 14. The housing is provided at each end with depending flanges 15 and 16 which are provided with suitable openings so that by means of one of these iianges the housing may be secured to the dash board 11. The purpose of supplying two ianges, one on each end of the housing, is so that the housing may be secured either to the front or the rear of the dash board. In some automobiles the engine is set so close to the dash board as to preclude any possibility of placing the housing under the hood, in this instance, the housing 13 is secured t0 the dash board underneath the cowl by means of the flange 16.

The housing 13 is provided with acover 17 which is provided with a central arcuate projection 18. The projection 18 is provided with an inner curved or arcuate channel 19 which permits the pin 20 carried by the sleeve 21 to pass therein. The sleeve 21 is mounted on the operating rod 22 which passes through the front and rear walls of the casing 13. The .operating rod 22 is provided with a notch 23 which is designed to engage with a tooth 24 carried by the housing. This notch and tooth is to prevent accidental movement of the operating rod. The operating rod is held against the tooth 24 by means of a spring pressed pawl 25.

It will be noted from Fig. 4 that the opening 26 in the forward wall of the housing 13 is larger than the operating rod 22. In other words, this opening is preferably elongated vertically so that the rod 22 can be raised suiiicient to disengage the notch 23 from the tooth 24. The operating rod projects forward and has secured to its free end a handle 27 by means of which the rod can be rotated as well as reciprocated. Formed integral with the housing 13 is a web 28, this web extends downwardly and terminates in a boss 29 through which a bolt 3() passes. pivotally securing the shift levers 31 and 32. The upper ends of the shift levers 31 and 32 are bifurcated as at 33. The purpose of this bifurcation is t@ permit the entrance This bolt is for the purpose of u of the pin 2O by means of which the levers 3l and are reciprocated when the handle 27 is pushed toward or moved away from the housing. The levers 3i and 32 are provided adjacent the bifurcation with recesses 3d, which recesses are designed to receive projections 35 formed integral with the housing 1S. These pi'oject'ons are adapted to engage with the recesses 3ft when the levers 8l and 32 are in neutral position and to prevent accidental movement thereof due to road shoclrs, etc., there heine; sutilcient spring in the shifting; levers to permit the same being moved past the projections. Secured to the lower ends of the levers 3l and 32 are connecting' links 3S, the opposite ends of these links are connected to the respective shifter bars 9.

lt will be noted from 4 that the rear end of the housing lil is provide-d with an opening; 37, this opening; has it upper ede'e inclined so as to permit the raisins` of the operating' rod 22 without bindin The forward end of the operating' rod 22 passes through a plate 38 which .not only serves as a support for the forwa'fl end of the rod, but which also bears an indication showing' when the device is set in neutral.

The lower end of the web 28 has secured thereto a bracket 39, this braclret is secured either to the dash board or other suitable part of the automobile and serves as a brace to sti'lfen the lower end of the web and relieve it to a great extent from strain while the shifting' of gears is taking` place.

The operation of my device is as follows When it is desired to start the car, the standard gear shift being used, the handle is turned so that the upper or indicator hand points to the right, this rotates the shaft 22 and carries the pin .20 around in the recess 19 and permits it to enter the bifurcation of the lever The device is now ready for shifting. The handle is lifted upward so as to clear the notch 23 and then pulled outward or toward the driver, this movement rocks the bar on its pivot and the bolt causing' the upper end to also inove toward the driver and the lower end away from the driver exerting` a pull on one of the shifter bars 9 and meshing' the desired gear. This movement also causes the bar 32 to spring` away from the projection 35. iVhen it is desired to again restore the transmission to neutral, the rod22 is pushed inward until the pro- `iection 35 enters the recess 34. The handle can now be rotated so that the pin 2O will enter the 'bifurcation of the lever 32 and by repeating the lifting of the forward end of the rod 22v and moving the same either forward or backward, the desired gear can be meshed.

By the use of my device an automobile driver can tell instantly whether his car is in neutral or not by merely glancing' at the handle 27 because it will be impossible to turn this handle into vertical position unless the gear transmission is in neutral position.

l do not desire to limit myself to the precise construction of operating` handle shown nor the precise means of shifting` `lsears as shown, as there are several other mechanisms by which my purpose can be accomplished without departing from the spirit 0f the invention.

Having fully described my invention, what l. claim is y l. e, gear shift comprising' a housing; havine' slotted sides, boss integral with and below said housing, bifurcated levers pivotally secured intermediate their ends to said boss, said levers having their bifurcated ends opposite the slots and located on opposite sides of the housing, a rod rotatably and reeipr cally mounted in the housing'` means for rotating' and reciprocating' said rod, means carried by said rod and adapted to pass through the slots in the sides of the housing' and engage with the bifurcation of a preselected lever for rocking' the same whenthe rod is reciprecated, means for preventing the reciprocation of said rod when disconnected from the levers, means for preventing' the rotation of the rod after en- ,Qjagement with a lever and when the same has been moved from neutral position, and a connection between said levers and the shifting elements of a sliding' gear transmision.

2. fr LQ'ear shift comprising' a housing' having; openings in its sides, levers pivotally mounted intermediate their ends below said housing', said levers having' their upper ends opposite said openings and located without and on opposite sides of the housing', their lower ends beine' connected to the shifting' elements or a sliding); ,Q'ear transmission, a rod slidably and rotatably mounted in said housing', means carried by said rod and adapted to pass through said openings for engaging' with a preselected lever so that the same will be rocked when the rod is reciprocated whereby a preselected shifting' element is operated.

3. A lrear shift comprising' a housine' havineopenings in its sides, levers pivot-ally mounted intermediate their ends below said housine, said levers having); their upper ends opposite said openings and' located on onposite sides of the housing', their lower ends beine'. connected to the shftinp' elements of a sliding' ,ojear transmission, a rod slidablv and rotatably mounted in said housing. means carried by said rod and adapted to pass through said openings for eneae'in' with a preselected lever so that the same will be rocked when the rod is reciprocated whereby a preselected shifting element is operated, the openings and lever engaging means (3o-acting for preventing the rotation of the rod when a lever has been rocked.

4:. A gear shift comprising a housing having openings in its sides, levers pivotally mounted below said housing and inter1nediate their ends, said levers having their upper ends opposite said openings and lo` cated on opposite sides of said housing, means for connect-ing the lower ends of said levers to the shifting elements of a sliding gear transmission, a rod slidably and rotatably mounted in said housing, means can ried by said rod and adapted to pass through said openings for engaging with a preseleot ed lever so that the same will be rocked when the rod is reoiproeated whereby a preselected shifting element is operated, and a cover provided with a housing adapted to receive the lever engaging means when out of engagement with said levers and prevent the reciproeation of said rod secured to said housing.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specication.

JASPER BLACKBURN. 

